Just moved to Albuquerque and looking to get into some more off roading. I have done a bunch in Mexico with some friends in Wranglers and XJ's.

Decided I want an XJ (to take the kids and the dog, of course!). I have a budget of about $7k. In my area there are quite a few lifted and modded Cherokee's in that price range, some in better condition than others. I can also pick up fairly decent shape non-modded/lifted Cherokee for between $1500 - $2k.

So the question is, do I buy somebody else's modded ride, or build up my own. I am not a mechanic, so things like rebuilding an engine, installing new axles, etc, I would not feel comfortable doing myself, so would have to find a shop to do it. I could probably install a lift kit myself, though not sure I would want to put money on it.

So, with that said, figuring I want something with 4-5 inch lift, and 33" tires, assuming I paid $2k for the stock Cherokee, would $5k be enough to rebuild a 200K mile engine, lift it, put on new tires/wheels, and install appropriate/necessary axles/gear boxes, etc?

I have a couple calls into different shops in the area, just wanted to hear other thoughts. Or even other shops to get in touch with.

Thanks for any input/advice.

 

IMO - i think it's cheaper to buy built but make sure it was built properly and taken care of to some extent....

 

I would say go with something more stock with working air conditioning. That way you can put your own flavor on it.

Plus you wouldn't have to worry about somebody else's work. I have trust issues though and have not seen many people that care about attention to detail.

The less you spend on the XJ the more you could put into it but then again buying a built one would give you more time with your family. idk

 

my personal opinion would be to find one stock, or close to it, that was well taken care of. as long as someone put some bit of care into it these things will run forever, and being that youre in NM you dont have to worry about the #1 killer of xj's, rust.

a lift isnt too tough to put in (im in the middle of installing one now), just make sure to research thoroughly, and plan for it to take long than expected thanks to stuck bolts, parts runs, needing more pb blaster etc. get the kids to help you, even if its just fetching tools. Even if its your first big project mechanically theres loads you can teach a kid in how a car works, and why things are the way they are, and as an added bonus, bonding time lol.

and then when your hitting the trails in it youll have the pride of saying "yeah, we built it".

but then again thats all my 2 cents.

 

If it was built right i would have no problem buying one lifted.But a lot i have seen for sell have been used and abused or have a cheap lift that rides a little rough.

 

Could be educational for your kids, if they are of the age to understand a build and then be fun to ride.

 

I like building my Jeeps, that way when things break on the trails you know how to fix it.

Buying an XJ that is already modded, you usually get more bang for your buck, you 'll never get out of it what you put in (money wise)

$5K for mods, yes doable. A good Lift will run you $1200 +/- (full leaf packs, shocks, quick disco's, new track bar, etc). $1,500 Recovery gear (bumpers, straps shackle, winch), $1,000 Tires $1,000 for misc items (steering, brakes,etc)

Always invest some coin to make sure the Jeep is safe, brakes, steering, etc. then jump in on building it up. Look for a 97-99 XJ, it'll have HP D30 front axle, Chry 8.25/29 spline. No need to swap any other axle in. Take your time and do it yourself, hardest part is fighting the bolts out.

Enjoy.

 

after building 2 jeeps, I'd much rather find one that is built very close to my needs, buy it for fair price, then modify it to fit my needs perfectly

the only problem is I had to build 2 jeeps to figure out what my exact needs are. ain't that a b****

if you're looking for a good modified vehicle to take your family out camping/recreating in and through some trails you can definitely find a good one for 7k. if you're looking to go rock crawling you're going to want to build it yourself

 

Welcome to the Forum and to Albuquerque.

Id always suggest buying stock and making it exactly what you want. For the stuff your uncomfortable doing your self, you can go where I go. Four Hills Turbo, Chris will get anything done for you, plus he's a Fellow Jeeper(89 XJ 3", 31s, Rebuilt engine)

 

If you buy just make sure its a proper lift. my brother decided he wanted a wrangler last fall, I told him to buy one in decent shape with a straight 6 and build it. He went and bought a dealer special instead. and im pretty sure he regrets it some. he says its always making grinding noises and the like, but he never listens to me because im his little brother

 

x2
Find one that is modded, and tweak it to how you like it. I probably would have saved 1/2 the amount spent on buying one built VS new parts. Also check craigslsit for used parts.

 

If you find one that's built right and for a decent price, scoop it up! Me personally, I don't trust any previous owners work, so I buy everything stock and build it myself.

Granted, that route is much more expensive in the long run, but you know that you won't run into any "surprises" left over from the previous owner's shoddy work.

 

I actually have a buddy that is selling his xj, something came up and needs money fast.
Specs are. 01 white sport, don't happen to know the mileage off hand. Re short arms with drop brackets, Clayton 4.5 coils with 2 inch Puck, bds leafs with Re shackles, 456 gears chry 8.25 with raised shock mounts ,d30 low pinion, 35's duratracs, genright vents, new bilstien shocks, I think its also trussed in the front with alloy tube seals. I think that's about it. He's looking to get 4k for it. I think he has been the original owner also. He started building a rear bumper with tire carrier but as of right now its off but will probably include it with the Jeep.

 

hbracing13, I just sent you a PM with my info to pass along to your friend.

Definitely interested!

 

PurpleToxin

Thanks for the welcome and the shop recommendation! Hopefully we'll bump into each other!